The signing ceremony was witnessed by General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong, who is on an official visit to France, and President of the National Assembly of France Francois de Rugy.

Under the document, AFM KLM E&M will maintain 20 GEnx engines of Vietnam Airlines for 12 years and provide the carrier with spare engine access to guarantee seamless continuity of its operations.

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At the signing ceremony

The event has marked efforts of Vietnam’s aviation sector to bridge Europe and Asia in terms of economic cooperation over the past two decades.

The signing took place with Vietnam and France celebrating the 45th anniversary of diplomatic ties. France has committed to supporting Vietnam in establishing a comprehensive relationship with the EU and Vietnam will help France and other EU nations become partners of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries.

General Director of Vietnam Airlines Duong Tri Thanh told that Vietnam Airlines is proud to be the only Vietnamese air carrier to run direct flights between Vietnam and France over the past 15 years. The airline has always regarded France as a strategic market to access Europe and North America, he said.

The airline opened a representative office in France 25 years ago. On July 2, 1994, it launched an air route between Vietnam and France through Dubai, using Boeing 767 aircraft. Ten years later, the carrier opened non-stop routes from Hanoi/Ho Chi Minh City to Paris.

Vietnam Airlines is now the only Vietnamese air carrier to conduct flights from the Southeast Asian nation to France, with 10 per week.

Source: TGTT

Translated by Song Anh